A State of the Game Letter for The Secret World has word on the launch of Funcom's new MMORPG. This update from producer Ragnar Tørnquist also outlines plans for monthly content updates. Here's a bit on those:

We're going to be releasing fresh and tasty new content FREE to our subscribers on a regular, monthly basis. The first update is due on Tuesday, July 31st, and we will be releasing more details about that particular update later this week -- including a couple of fun surprises. (You're going to love it.)

So what will these updates contain? I'm glad you asked! I won't spoil too much, but here's an overview of some of the things we have in the pipelines:

* Mission packs on a monthly basis! The first few packs will contain new investigations for every adventure zone in the game -- but we also have more action and sabotage missions planned for the near future. These missions will feature fully voiced cut-scenes and new media pop-ups, and will match the quality of the missions currently in the game. Oh, and like everything else in our monthly updates, these packs are FREE for our subscribers!

* New weapons! We will be announcing our first auxiliary weapon soon (one clue: bigger, slower, more explosions) and new auxiliary weapons will be released on a regular basis. Combat in The Secret World will continue to evolve, and it will pay to expand your character in multiple directions!

* Raids! We're well into production on our first raid, and there will be more information about that in August! But as a teaser: The Big Apple will never be the same

You asked what more a person could want..I answered Nomaar. If you won't allow for subjective points in an opinion based discussion...what was the point in asking...let alone responding? How would it not be subjective?

Sorry I don't feel as highly about the merits of the game as you do, but you telling me my opinion is in fact an opinion isn't going to change that.

One non-subjective point though. If the tutorial didn't matter, it wouldn't be there. Games have them for a reason...they don't include them out of some sort of dedication to an ancient tradition.

Nomaar wrote on Jul 11, 2012, 12:11:Well I'm loving it so far. Immersive, detailed world; deep storyline and lore; free-form character development that does away with cookie-cutter levels and builds; lots of quests that make you use your brain. What more could you ask for?

The short list?

1)How about a combat system that doesn't suck. I mean, it is definitely capable, but it is really awkward. I feel like someone couldn't make up their mind between the traditional "tab-select" of WoW or the "action combat" of TERA...and ended up with something in the middle...awkward and inefficient.

2) Quest log limits suck. I see what they are trying to do from a storytelling point of view, and I still say it blows. Also, why can I only look at one quest at a time..why not the list? For a game that spouts "freedom" it sure does apply some weird limits on the UI.

3) Speaking of the UI...nevermind..let's not speak about it. I am sure they are going to do something to improve it.

4) Considering their staff, the engine, the time in development, and various other variables...the graphics are terrible. I am no graphics whore, but you either have to use your tech to make it shiny or you have to have a very stylized art plan..and they have neither.

5) Pay for the game, pay a subscription, and an in-game store? Money sink. I don't care if the items in the store are all for looks, it doesn't matter. Perhaps I wouldn't be so irritated by it if the game was at all polished...but it isn't, just like every other newly released MMO...so asking me to pay more real money then I already do just so I can have a jacket that doesn't look like it came out of a 1980's Michael Jackson video is pretty crappy.

6) The only "tutorial" I have ever played in a MMO that is worse then the one in SW is the original one from Champions Online. Here is what I learned from playing the tutorial in SW: I will never play a character that uses shotguns because apparently they can't actually hurt anything AND single target healing is a waste of time. It is entirely possible that both of those statements are entirely false when applied to the rest of the game...but as a guest player I wouldn't know and I certainly wasn't going to waste my "24 hours" to find out.

1) I find the combat to be fine so I honestly don't know what you mean by awkward. Some aspects are a bit different from a typical MMO and may take some getting used to, but whatever. This is completely subjective.

2) Could care less about this. The quest givers are laid out in a way that makes the lack of a big quest log meaningless.

3) Meh. Again, who cares. The UI could be a little better but it basically does what you need it to do. It will get better.

4) Again, subjective. I've seen people both complain and praise the graphics. They're definitely not "terrible." What MMORPG is better?

5) The in-game store is for vanity items only, like EVE online, so again, who cares. So what's the complaint here again?

Well, I am convinced! lol--------------------My coworker, and avid gamer himself said the game is "meh" and he's only playing it off and on when he's bored and has nothing else to do. Like most, he's just killing time til GW2 comes out. To which he said "after playing the GW beta, and TSW, I can't enjoy TSW because of everything it lacks compared to a better MMO" -paraphrasing.

MacLeod wrote on Jul 11, 2012, 10:21:There's an app for that. Literally. I grabbed an app for my phone so I didn't have to screenshot the sound waves (the beeping was too fast for me). Held my phone up to the speaker and instant Morse Code translation. lol.

Yeah, and you can just look up the answer on a spoiler site as well... =)

Nomaar wrote on Jul 11, 2012, 12:11:Well I'm loving it so far. Immersive, detailed world; deep storyline and lore; free-form character development that does away with cookie-cutter levels and builds; lots of quests that make you use your brain. What more could you ask for?

The short list?

1)How about a combat system that doesn't suck. I mean, it is definitely capable, but it is really awkward. I feel like someone couldn't make up their mind between the traditional "tab-select" of WoW or the "action combat" of TERA...and ended up with something in the middle...awkward and inefficient.

2) Quest log limits suck. I see what they are trying to do from a storytelling point of view, and I still say it blows. Also, why can I only look at one quest at a time..why not the list? For a game that spouts "freedom" it sure does apply some weird limits on the UI.

3) Speaking of the UI...nevermind..let's not speak about it. I am sure they are going to do something to improve it.

4) Considering their staff, the engine, the time in development, and various other variables...the graphics are terrible. I am no graphics whore, but you either have to use your tech to make it shiny or you have to have a very stylized art plan..and they have neither.

5) Pay for the game, pay a subscription, and an in-game store? Money sink. I don't care if the items in the store are all for looks, it doesn't matter. Perhaps I wouldn't be so irritated by it if the game was at all polished...but it isn't, just like every other newly released MMO...so asking me to pay more real money then I already do just so I can have a jacket that doesn't look like it came out of a 1980's Michael Jackson video is pretty crappy.

6) The only "tutorial" I have ever played in a MMO that is worse then the one in SW is the original one from Champions Online. Here is what I learned from playing the tutorial in SW: I will never play a character that uses shotguns because apparently they can't actually hurt anything AND single target healing is a waste of time. It is entirely possible that both of those statements are entirely false when applied to the rest of the game...but as a guest player I wouldn't know and I certainly wasn't going to waste my "24 hours" to find out.

On the upside....because it definitely does have some ups...1) The lore, the factions, the writing...all of that is awesome. Perhaps the best I have seen in a MMO.

2) The music, sound, and voiced NPCs are all very well done as well.

3) The server tech that allows characters from different dimensions to team together is very cool, and something more MMOs should strive to do.

4) I really dig the skill/ability system. Not because I hate the "holy trinity" or something, I just think it is an excellent and original way to level a character.

Overall: Strangely addictive game...and easily Funcom's best game "at release". As much as I love the concept of the game, and can easily overlook the underwhelming graphical presentation...actually "playing" the game is just too awkward because of a poor combat system and terrible UI. Maybe I will revisit it when they make it as fun to play as it is to read and listen too.

Nomaar wrote on Jul 11, 2012, 12:11:Well I'm loving it so far. Immersive, detailed world; deep storyline and lore; free-form character development that does away with cookie-cutter levels and builds; lots of quests that make you use your brain. What more could you ask for?

If anyone is interested in trying it, I have one 24-hour buddy pass at my disposal. First poster gets it. I'll need your e-mail address.

Nomaar wrote on Jul 11, 2012, 12:11:Well I'm loving it so far. Immersive, detailed world; deep storyline and lore; free-form character development that does away with cookie-cutter levels and builds; lots of quests that make you use your brain. What more could you ask for?

If anyone is interested in trying it, I have one 24-hour buddy pass at my disposal. First poster gets it. I'll need your e-mail address.

Nomaar wrote on Jul 11, 2012, 12:11:Well I'm loving it so far. Immersive, detailed world; deep storyline and lore; free-form character development that does away with cookie-cutter levels and builds; lots of quests that make you use your brain. What more could you ask for?

If anyone is interested in trying it, I have one 24-hour buddy pass at my disposal. First poster gets it. I'll need your e-mail address.

Bought this on a whim to tide me over till gw2, and am finding it rather enjoyable. There are things I don't like, but it is much more finished than AoC was. The only thing I don't like are the icons for gear are so boring and hard to differentiate.

I am a big fan of Funcom coming from my 2nd ever and easily most favorite MMOG of all time, Anarchy Online. I think AO makes some of the most progressive, deep and fun games around. AoC gets a lot of flack and I certainly didn't play it for all that long but I think that was more a management problems rather than a problem with the developers themselves. But that is the past. I'm happy to hear that TSW is doing so well, I hope it's very successful. I probably won't pick it up, at least not right now. I'm so focused on GW2 right now that nothing else is appealing to me atm but the beauty of that game is with a B2P model I won't feel like I cant sub to another MMOG without having enough time to get some play in to justify that $15 a month. So I may well pick TSW up when I see it on sale sometime in the future.

Well I'm loving it so far. Immersive, detailed world; deep storyline and lore; free-form character development that does away with cookie-cutter levels and builds; lots of quests that make you use your brain. What more could you ask for?

If anyone is interested in trying it, I have one 24-hour buddy pass at my disposal. First poster gets it. I'll need your e-mail address.

Yeah, this game is a lot of fun so far. Our group is really enjoying the progression and we just hit nightmare mode dungeons. To get into nightmares, you have to solo kill this dude named the gatekeeper. It took me dozens of times and is an interesting idea to check gear/skill of a player before letting them into harder instances.

The boss mechanics are really fun and varied. Sure, there is a lot of don't stand in puddles, etc., but there are also new mechanics that are very fun to learn.

I've gotten my money's worth already compared to other games, even if it gets stale after a few months. If you are looking for a new game to waste time in, it's worth the buy. Don't let the frustrated trolls on here decide what you play. Enjoy.

Asmodai wrote on Jul 11, 2012, 10:02:Actually deciphering fast morse code is one of the early quests in the very first zone.

There's an app for that. Literally. I grabbed an app for my phone so I didn't have to screenshot the sound waves (the beeping was too fast for me). Held my phone up to the speaker and instant Morse Code translation. lol.

I understand and respect that people have a great deal of suspicion when it comes to FC games, but I'm enjoying the hell out of TSW (so much so I went lifetime, something I've never done before).

Yep, there are still some bugs and yep, 3 x 3 zones aren't much to start a game off, but it oozes potential and it's BLOODY HARD... =) eg. Actually deciphering fast morse code is one of the early quests in the very first zone. Add on the mature storyline (similar to Conan, this really isn't a PG game), the humour and the homages, I find it very entertaining and I'm pretty jaded when it comes to MMO's.

Nevermind the fact that the game has quite a few nice innovations packed in to it (even as it makes some mistakes common to other startups who don't learn from history).

I find combat to be enjoyable once you get your head around it, but that's the whole game. Coming up with new and interesting ways to tackle the challenges. Believe me, the game throws those challenges at your frequently, changing the status quo so you can't get complacent.

If you're on the fence, wait for a free trial or get a buddy code, it's certainly not for everyone. But if you're looking for a bit of a change from the rest of the MMO market, it certainly isn't a bad way to spend 50 bucks to take a look for a month.

Disclaimer: Not a FC employee but I am a huge fan of Tournquist's work on Longest Journey.

wtf_man wrote on Jul 11, 2012, 07:28:Why does this announcement scream to me: "We are Funcom, We launch MMOs with major content gaps and bugs... more content coming... we promise!".

Can't win with some people. People who complain about the monthly subscription fee invariable bitch that they're waiting for F2P because there's not enough content to warrant a monthly fee. Then, the first state of the game post is made, and they reference that they're going to be adding quests every month, new zones, and pretty much showing they are committed to bringing content to the game on a regular basis (which is what everyone kept saying they were waiting for), and they still get insulted.

I'm having fun with the game. Are there frustrating things about it sometimes, yes, but overall the questing is fun and there's enough missions presented in a different fashion than normal MMOs that I'm enjoying it.

Combat is similar to most MMOs, though the skill system does seem to have some depth to it with linked passive and active abilities to trigger effects, but I haven't really started to really delve too deeply into that.

I will say the two things that are bothering me:1) There are dialog options that aren't quest related on NPCs. Some NPCs have 5 or 6 different dialog options. You have to click each of those options about 4 or 5 times to hear the whole topic. There is no way to advance the line of dialog forward, so you have to sit there waiting for the voiceover to finish. Kind of a killer when trying to listen to the backstory with a limited time to play, or if you're adventuring with someone... say your wife ... who just prefers to watch the quest dialog/cut-scenes.2)Getting to Blue Mountain was a bit of a WTF moment. It's like someone went happy with the mob paintbrush and dropped way too many enemies in all the areas. Coupled with the mountain ridges, it's a pain in the ass to navigate, and the bug mobs (ak'ab) don't seem to leash correctly, so you'll run halfway across the zone and one will still be following you. But I'll give them one bad designed zone... seems every MMO has it, and hopefully they'll eventually fix the problem.

There are still plenty of those that feel just like your standard mmo. Even the fan favs of needing X and you don't get one X for each kill so you have to kill even more, yay! All in the same pasture(area). I will say in general the story/quest structure is better then avg.

Markus71 wrote on Jul 11, 2012, 03:43:Are we playing the same game? In my opinion TSW has by far the best quests i ever experienced in a MMO and the combat is pure fun. I've played with guns and shotguns, but also with swords, hammer and blood-magic... that's TSW... you can try whatever you want and you can be whoever you want to be. TSW is the first new MMO that isn't a clone of WoW, it's fresh and new, so give it a try... i think you'll not regret it.

You almost convinced me, then I realized you are an employee of Funcom.

Actually he's prety spot on. The game is pretty good, quests are interesting, alot of which involve you using your brain, the quests in TSW aren't your usual kill x amount of/collect x amount of. The writing is very good for the parts that are voiced, and the skill system allows for you to do whatever you like. Want to duel wield pistols and use elemental spells? You can, want to bash things with hammers and use chaos magic? Go for it. Swords? Yep! Shotguns?